How to add window extentions similar to the skype productivity tools for skype?

Question

All,

If you install the Webex productivity tools and have skype installed it adds a window decoration from where you can click a button and it will automatically paste into the conversation box a new webex conference link.

I would like to do something similar for my application, but where to start with adding the window decoration? Is there a standard API for this sort of thing?

Any guidance is appreciated.

Answer 1

What you basically want to do is to 'Draw custom controls' in the Windows Non-Client area. This is also sometimes called the 'Chrome' of the Window.

If you want to do this in your own application, this SO question answers many of the options available: Custom titlebars/chrome in a WinForms app

The code for the main article cited from http://geekswithblogs.net/kobush/articles/CustomBorderForms.aspx is availble at http://customerborderform.codeplex.com/

If you want to add your custom controls to other applications, then you will need to hook into those applications their WndProc. In order to achieve that, you will need to inject your dll into that application (see http://www.codingthewheel.com/archives/how-to-inject-a-managed-assembly-dll and http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/4610/Three-Ways-to-Inject-Your-Code-into-Another-Proces#section_1) and then hook into the WndProc again.